SHOWMASTER HEART GAME (FRIDAY)

[showmaster]

A familiar voice can be heard above you, you're not sure if they're talking to you or not but it does feel like you're part of this conversation:

"What a Wonderful Story that you have. I've read it many times when I was feeling sad. You know, I wanted to keep it in my personal collection, but it doesn't seem that's going to be possible. To grant my wish, I'd have to sacrifice what it means to be a reader ... to become the story. That's The End that I'm looking for.

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Comments

COLLECT YOUR TICKETS

[ticketmaster]

The Ticketmaster is standing there by the door to the subway train, holding onto tickets that seem to be meant for you. Before she hands them over, she decides she wants to speak:

"Good morning, and thank you for accepting the invitation to the Line of Memories. I am the Ticketmaster and I am here to assist you with your journey today. The story has no choice but to end here, and so you are here to find the End of the Line. What Line you'll end up with, I cannot say, but I believe you'll find what you need to.

You see, the stage is not really my cup of tea, I've never been able to perform or direct any story. All I can do is assist with the journey. As I've said before, my cup of tea is with you!

The Subway is a tunnel filled with the Showmaster's memories, all of her secrets and all of her stories can be found here. You may do whatever you like, if she didn't want someone in here, she should have known better than to have it exposed so easily ~ I'll take you wherever it is you need to go, I've even prepared some tickets for you. Please come aboard the subway and we'll be setting off soon."

[ticketmaster]

...Just so you know, I'm looking for a different end. I'm not looking to find a way for someone to "become the story".

[socialcapital]

If she doesn't, does all this just keep happening?

[ticketmaster]

Well, we are on the third set of performances and she's already preparing for the fourth so...

[socialcapital]

[ MAKES AN X WITH HIS HANDS ]

Forbidden. It's ending at three. We're getting that guy out of the damn ocean one way or another.

[ticketmaster]

So there you go. It won't keep happening because you'll find a way.

[socialcapital]

It would be nice to have a hint on how though. I can do a lot of stuff but filtering guys out of the ocean isn't in my immediate skillset.

[endsjustified]

What has brought us to the point that it no longer has any choice but to end?

[ticketmaster]

At some point, you'll regain too much of your former self.

[endsjustified]

And then what happened to the previous performers will happen to us?

[ticketmaster]

Correct. Some return to their stories, some are stuck here, but there is a sense of "stuck" until this is all over.

[endsjustified]

[exhales]

So where must we go to change her mind?

[mykidisthebest]

Is it too direct to ask which ending will let everyone move on with their lives? Becoming a story doesn't sound like it's going to fix any of the problems we've got going on, which is why I ask.

[ticketmaster]

I do not think it is too direct. It depends on who is included in "everyone".

[mykidisthebest]

Don't be pedantic! I mean everyone on this ship, of course. And the people off the ship since her brother is in the ocean.

And, you know, everyone else who could be impacted by all of this!

[ticketmaster]

It is an important distinction if you want a proper direct answer, hahaha!

If it is the end of burning my story, the Legends, the history of this world, the Showmaster as we know her now, they would all change quite significantly. The world of Estoria will move on but much of this would likely disappear for good. The performers will also be able to move on with their lives.

If it is the Showmaster's way of reaching the End, all of us would continue to exist but she would not be able to continue to move on. Instead of disappearing, she would be "stuck". So would I. Her brother would be able to move on, likely you all would also move on. The world is questionable.

If the performances restart, everyone would be stuck once more.

[mykidisthebest]

None of you sound like you really have good paths laid out, huh.

I'd pick a path where there's no chance of the performances restarting. There's no point in us being able to get out of this if the world is stuck, so the world ought to be able to move forward too. Give me a ticket that heads in that direction and I'll fix what I can along the way. That's doable, right?

[carrionmywaywardsun]

Then what end are you looking for?

[ticketmaster]

Well, the answer is "burning the story" but that's not the actual question you're asking, is it?

[carrionmywaywardsun]

You do seem like you have something fucking specific in mind.

[ticketmaster]

I dooooo...

[carrionmywaywardsun]

Then shouldn't you be tryna fucking sell us on it so you get what you want?

[socialcapital]

[ hey sparrow's awake. well maybe not 'awake' but hey ]

[carrionmywaywardsun]

[he looks so normal and so does his shadow]

[socialcapital]

[ is his heart beating ]